This week is for the money, y’all.

Playoff rankings No. 12 Missouri at No. 2 Georgia. No. 14 LSU at No. 8 Alabama. Two games and two division titles likely on the line. The reason we love this sport.

Other reasons? They were on display in Week 9 in the SEC, starting with Georgia’s evisceration of Florida at the Cocktail Party. Ladd McConkey is better than his offer list, despite what bitter folks tell you about Kirby and “developing talent.”

“(Ladd McConkey) is the most underrated receiver in college football and he has been for the last 2 years,” ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit said after McConkey torched the Gators to the tune of 135 yards and a game-changing early touchdown. 

Speaking of underrated players … is it possible to be underrated when you average 7 yards a carry in the SEC? Jaylen Wright is underrated, though, and Kentucky will remember the punishment he doled out Saturday night in Lexington on his way to 120 yards and a touchdown in Tennessee’s 33-27 win over Big Blue.

Perhaps 2023 is the year of the underrated player. After all, there were 3 Missouri players on last week’s “List.” That accomplishment means Mizzou joins Alabama, LSU and Georgia as the only programs that have ever had 3 players on this list in a single week. Not bad for a team some figured would struggle to attain bowl eligibility in 2023.

As always, Honorable Mentions come first, limited to 2 per institution. If you don’t like the list, try making your own under these constraints. It’s about as fun as trick or treating on a sugar-free diet.

Honorable Mention: Alabama: QB Jalen Milroe, K/P Will Reichard; Arkansas: QB KJ Jefferson; LB Jaheim Thomas; Auburn: DB Jaylin Simpson, LB Eugene Asante; Florida: QB Graham Mertz, WR Ricky Pearsall; Georgia: S Malaki Starks, WR Ladd McConkey; Kentucky: LB D’Eryk Jackson, RB Ray Davis; LSU: LB Harold Perkins Jr., WR Brian Thomas Jr.; Missouri: DB Kris Abrams-Draine; OT Javon Foster; MSU: LB Jett Johnson, LB Nathaniel Watson; Ole Miss: DE Jared Ivey; RB Quinshon Judkins SC: LB Debo Williams, WR Xavier Legette; Tennessee: LB Aaron Beasley, Edge James Pearce Jr.; Texas A&M: DB Josh DeBerry, DL Shemar Turner; Vanderbilt: LB Langston Patterson, OL Bradley Ashmore.

10. Tykee Smith, S (Georgia)

The Dawgs’ “other safety” had 6 tackles (1 for loss) and a pass breakup in Georgia’s 43-20 rout of the hated Gators at the Cocktail Party. Smith ranks 2nd on the Dawgs in tackles, No. 1 in interceptions and 2nd in pass breakups. Georgia’s defense enters the final month of the season with the 2 best safeties in the league (Malaki Starks being the other) and a SP+ defensive efficiency ranking of 5th, the best in the SEC in that category.

9. Jaylen Wright, RB (Tennessee)

Wright’s big touchdown run early set the tone for Tennessee’s win at Kentucky. Wright averaged nearly 10 yards a carry, and the junior is up to 713 yards rushing on the season, good for 3rd in the SEC. Tennessee’s success rate when Wright runs the ball is 61% — the highest for any running in the SEC.

8.Connor Tollison, C (Missouri)

Tollison leads a Missouri offensive line that grades out as the SEC’s best through 2 months of football, per PFF. The SEC’s highest-rated run blocking center (82.8), Missouri now faces its stiffest challenge yet: a road date at No. 2 Georgia with the SEC East title hanging in the balance. To win, Missouri will need Tollison to pace Mizzou’s run game, which enters the game ranked 75th in the country in rushing — but has been an outstanding 28th in success rate on the ground since the beginning of SEC play.

7. Carson Beck, QB (Georgia)

Beck continues to dazzle. Playing in his hometown, the Georgia junior threw for 315 yards and 2 touchdowns in Georgia’s blowout of archrival Florida. Beck now ranks 2nd in the SEC in passing yards, trailing only LSU’s Jayden Daniels.

Beck is firmly in control of an offense that ranks 6th nationally in SP+ offense, 4th in total offense, 5th in success rate offense and 6th in yards gained per play ahead of Saturday’s huge tilt with No. 12 Missouri.

6. Cody Schrader, RB (Missouri)

Schrader ranks 2nd in the SEC in rushing with 807 yards and is tied for the league lead with 9 touchdowns on the ground. Schrader and Missouri are top 5 in the SEC in success rate running the football, and the Tigers have outstanding balance overall, ranking 17th in the country in yards per play and 30th in total offense, per CFB Stats.

5. Dallas Turner, LB (Alabama)

The Alabama star leads the nation in quarterback pressures (37) and his 8 sacks are tied for the SEC lead (Nathaniel Watson, Miss State). Alabama is still in Playoff position, ranked 8th as they enter the home stretch of the regular season, beginning with Saturday night’s showdown with LSU in Tuscaloosa.

4. Luther Burden III, WR (Missouri)

Burden III’s star turn in 2023 is complete, but the Missouri receiver can become a household name with a monster night against Georgia on Saturday.

No more underrated talk or questions about what would have happened if Burden III hadn’t taken the road less traveled and stayed home to star for Big State U instead of leaving for college football royalty at Bama or Texas or Georgia. All Burden has to do is be himself– constantly open, hard to tackle, trustworthy hands, dynamic athleticism — and he’ll have an impact on Saturday’s game. Burden III leads the SEC  in receptions (61) and he ranks 2nd in receiving yards (905).

3. Malik Nabers, WR (LSU)

Along with Burden III and Ohio State star Marvin Harrison Jr., Nabers has been one of the nation’s best 3 wide receivers. He enters Saturday night’s tilt at Alabama with 56 receptions for 981 yards and 9 touchdowns. His 17.52 yards per reception ranks 3rd in the SEC among eligible players (25 receptions or more). His matchup against Alabama’s secondary, including All-American candidate Kool-Aid McKinstry, will be appointment television.

2. Edgerrin Cooper, LB (Texas A&M)

Cooper ranks 2nd in the SEC in quarterback pressures and continues to lead the nation in tackles for loss, driving his count to 15.5 with a 2-tackle for loss performance in Texas A&M’s comeback win over South Carolina.

Cooper, who also ranks 3rd in the SEC in sacks with 7, is the nation’s most complete linebacker — grading out as the top-ranked LB overall by PFF and No. 1 in coverage grade (91.6). He’s the centerpiece of one of college football’s best defenses, as the Aggies rank 7th in the country in SP+ defensive efficiency, 7th in success rate defense, and an SEC-best 7th in total defense.

1. Jayden Daniels, QB (LSU)

The Tigers have the league’s most dynamic football player under center in Daniels, who will head to Tuscaloosa ranking No. 1 in the league in passer rating, touchdown passes and yards per attempt. A star performance against a stellar Alabama defense will thrust Daniels front and center in the Heisman Trophy conversation and thrust a 2-loss LSU team back into College Football Playoff discussions.